Cigarette-machine.



Patented .Ian. 7, I902.

C. B. SPENCER. CIGARETTE MACHINE. (Application filed May 15, 1901.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

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No. 690,887; Patented Ian. 7, 1902.

C. R. SPENCER. CIGARETTE MACHINE (Application filed may 15, 1901.) I H (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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c. R. SPENCER.

CIGARETTE MAGHlNE.

(Application filed May 15, 1901.) (N 0. Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

No. 690,887. Patented Jan.- 7, I902.

C. B. SPENCER.

CIGARETTE MACHINE.

(Application flled May 15, 1901.),

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Siieet 4.

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C. R. SPENCER.

CIGARETTE MACHINE.

(Application filed May 15, 1901.)

No. 690,887. Patented Jan. 7, I902.

(No Model.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

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CHARLES R. SPENCER, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM D. COLT, OF WVASI-IINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

ClGARETTE MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,887, dated January '7, 1902.

Application filed May 15, 1901. Serial No. 60,305. No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES R. SPENCER, of the city of Baltimore and State of Maryland, have invented certain Improvements in Cigarette-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in that description of cigarette machines in which the ends of the wrapper, the

edges of which are not necessarily pasted together, are tucked in to prevent the escape of the inclosed tobacco, and the invention is limited to those parts of the machine which operate on the paper-covered tobacco rod.

In other words, the forming of the tobacco rod and the application thereto of the paper wrapper do not constitute any part of the present invention, and the elements of the machine which produce the paper-covered 2o rod are not shown inthe drawings nor described in this specification.

In the further description of the said invention which follows reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part 2 5 hereof, and in which- Figure 1 is an exterior side view of the portion of the machine embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 1

0 looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. Figs. 4 to 13, inclusive, are details of the machine, some of whichare on an enlarged scale. Figs. 1a and 15 are enlarged views of a cigarette, showing the same as it appears after the first and second wrappertucking-in operation, respectively.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 is the frame of the machine, and 2 a part of one of its legs.

0 3 is the rod of tobacco, covered by a paper wrapper, the edges of which are lapped, but not pasted.

1 is a short tube into which the rod 3 is fed, and 5 5 are hollow-faced feed-rolls situated one at each side of the tube 4', which assists in carrying the tobacco rod along toward the rotary knife which cuts a cigarette therefrom and also to devices which pack the loose tobacco in the wrapper and tuck in the ends of the wrapper, as hereinafter described. These feed-rolls, which are driven from the shaft 7 through the medium of the beveled gears 8 and the spur gear-wheels 9, are separated, so that the rod of tobacco will assume an oval shape in cross-section, for a purpose hereinafter described. The rotary shaft 7 receives its motion from the main drivingshaft 10 by means of the sprocket-wheels 11 and 12 and the chain 13.

15 is a drum (see particularly Figs. 4 and 5, which are respectively a longitudinal central section and a partly-sectional face View of the same) adapted to turn loosely on the fixed stud 16, which projects from the stand 17, erected on the frame 1.

19 19 are pockets,preferably sixteen in number,formed in the drum 15 and extending 1ongitudinally thereof, in which are seated de vices, hereinafter described, for holding and compressing the cigarette immediately before and during the tucking in of the ends of the wrapper.

Around one end of the drum 15 is secured a band 20, having notches 21, one of which is over each pocket, into which enters successively the point of the actuating-pawl 22, (see Figs. 3 and 11,) which gives to the drum a one-sixteenth of a complete rotation at each operation of the machine.

In Fig. 5 a portion of the notched band 20 is broken away to disclose certain devices, hereinafter described, which are-covered by it, to the left of the figure.

The pawl 22 is pivoted to an arm 24, having at its end a roller 26, which rests on the periphery of the cam 27 on the main drivingshaft 10. (See Fig. 11.)

The character of the cam 27 is such that it is inoperative during about one-half of its rotation. Consequently after the drum. is 0 moved it remains stationary for a considerable period of time.

A reverse rotation of the drum is prevented by means of a spring-held pawl 28, pivot ed to the stand 17, as shown bythe dotted lines 5 in Fig. 3, the point of which enters successively each one of the notches 121. (See Fig. 3.) v

29 29 are shells (see particularly Figs. 8 and 9.) adapted to slide longitudinallyin the pofckrco ets 19 of the drum 15 by means of devices hereinafter described. These shells are in two parts and 31. (See Figs. 8 and 9.) The one, 30, as seen from either end thereof, has parallel sides 32, which are separated a distance equal to the diameter of a finished cigarette, and the portion of the wall 33 which connects the said sides is semicircular. The other part, 31, which may be termed the follower, as seen from the same point of view as the one, 30, has a semicircular hollow inner face 34 and parallel sides 35, and it is adapted to slide Within the vpart 30. (See Fig. 4.) The part 30 of the shells isprovided with the plate-springs 36, which bear against the lateral projections 37 on the follower 31, which is notched into the wall of the part 30 in order that the opening, as seen from its end, will normallyassurne an oval or an elongated shape, (see Fig. 4,) in which the shells are all shown in this distended condition. The follower 31 of the shell has also a slotted lug 38, whereby the entire shell is slid longitudinally of the slot in the drum 15 by means of devices hereinafter described. The cigarette rod at each operation of the machineis fed into one of these shells, which is pushed forward to meet it, and then recedes with the cigarette, which is cut from the rod by cutting devices, hereinafter described,to its original position, which is with its ends flush with the faces of the drum, the ends of the cigarette projecting therefrom.

39 is a bar adapted to have a longitudinal movement within a guide 40, secured to the stand 17. At one end of the bar 39is secured an arm 41, havinga tapering hole 42, through which the cigarette rod is fed to the shell, which at that time is opposite to or in alinement withit, and it has a longitudinal movement in common with the said shell. The other end of the bar 39 is connected bya pin 43 to the upper end of an arm 44, secured to the rock-shaft 45, supported in bearings 46. The rock-shaft has another arm 47, carrying a roller 48 at its end, which rests in the slot 49 of the cam 50, which is fast on the drivingshaft 10.

By reference to Figs. 12 and l3,which are respectivelyan end view of the arm 41, and a Hat or side view ofa detached part of the same, it will be seen that as the hole therein is tapered and the loose jaw held in place by the platespring 52 the device may be moved with little friction longitudinally of the cigarette rod in one direction,while in the other itwill to acertain extent grasp the rod, and therefore it is adapted to draw the rod at each backward stroke. This peculiar function of the said arm is availed of to assist in feeding the cigarette rod, it being first moved toward and over the advancing cigarette rod and then drawn back. The arm 41 has, however, another functionviz., that of holding the cigarette rod from lateral deflection while the rowhich is adapted to slide longitudinally in the bearing 56 at the upper end of the Vibratory plate 57, whichis pivoted at its lower end at 59 to the stand 17. The vibratory action of the plate 57 in one direction is effected by means of the bracket 60, projecting laterally therefrom, which bracket has a roller 61 at its'end adapted to bear against the cam 63, which is well shown in Figs. 2 and 10. The reverse movement of the vibratory plate is effected by the spring 64 on the stem 65, which spring also serves to keep the said roller in contact with the cam. The movement of the rotary knife longitudinally of the cigarette rod is produced bythe arm 67, which at one end is secured to the bar 39 and at the other loosely connected to the knife-shaft by means of collars 69. (See Fig. 3.) The end of this arm is slotted to allow of the vibratory action of the knife-shaft. The knifeshaft 55 is driven from the shaft 7 by the belt and the pulleys 71 and 72.

As before stated, each shell 29 as it comes into alinementwith the cigarette rodis moved toward it and receives a portion of the rod, which is cut off and forms a cigarette, and as this motion of the shell must be coincident with that of the rotary knife and the arm 41 it is easily effected my means of the finger 73 (see Fig. 1) on the under side of the bar 39, which enters the notch in the lug 38 on the follower 31 of the shell.

It will be understood that the .return of the shell containing the cigarette to within the drum takes place before the drum completes another partial rotation and that the shells are at all times within the drum except when directly in alinement with the cigarette rod.

The shell when it receives the cigarette rod is oval, as before stated; but as the drum rotates the follower 31 of the shell is pushed inward and the cigarette thereby rounded and compressed, and it remains in this compressed form while the tobacco is packed inward from the ends of the cigarette and the ends of the paper wrapper tucked in. After that the follower 31 is released to allow of the cigarette being readily pushed out of the shell and drum. To effect this compression of the cigarette, there is erected on the frame 1 a curved bar 75, the inner edge of which is in the path of the depressed surfaces 77 of the followers, and its length is such that the cigarette is compressed during the three operations to which it is subjected-viz., the packing of the ends of the tobacco and the tucking in of the upper and lower edges of the wrapper.

The packing of the tobacco is effected by the rods 79 and 80, which slide in the blocks 81 and have a simultaneous movement toward and from each other. These rods are fastened to the cross-heads 82 and 83, respectively, which are reciprocated by mechanism now to be described.

85 is a vibratory plate pivoted centrally at 86 to the frame 1. The upper end of this Vibratory plate and the cross-head 82 have pins which are linked together by the rod 87. The pin at the lower end of the said plate is linked by the rod 88 to the end of an arm 89 on a shaft 90, supported by the bearings 91 and 92. At the far end of this shaft is another and upwardly-extending arm 93, carrying a roller 94, which rests in the groove of the cam 95 on the rotary driving-shaft 10. (See Fig. 2.)

To effect a movement of the cross-head 83 the reverse of that of the one 82, the former is linked to the lower end of the vibratory plate 85 by the curved rod 97. (See Fig. 1.)

99 and 100 are respectively the upper and the lower tuckers, secured to the cross-heads 82 and 83, and they are adapted to slide in the blocks 81. The blocks (see Figs. 6 and 7) which are respectively an exterior perspective view of one of the blocks 81 and its attachments and a similar view showing parts of the said apparatus in section consist in rods 102, with hinged tucking-fingers 103. These fingers are springheld, the springs being arranged to throw the fingers from a point beyond the circumference to the center of the cigarette as the tuckers are pushed in contact with the ends of the same. The effect of the tucking-fingers is illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15, the former showing the result of the operation of the first or upper tucking-fingers and the latter that of the second or lower ones. The cigarette is denoted by X.

The movement of the fingers whereby they are thrown out or beyond the circumference of the cigarette is produced by the lugs 104 coming in contact with the face of the blocks in their retrograde movement, and to admit of such movement the wall adjoining the springs is cutaway for their reception. (See Fig. 7, wherein one finger, with its lug 104 in contact with the face of the block 81, is shown in dotted lines.)

105 is an ejector to push the finished cigarettes from the shells clear of the drum and into the chute 106, which leads to any convenient place. The said ejector consists of a suitably-guided rod linked to the end of the long arm 10?, which is pivoted to a bracket 109, projecting from the lower side of the frame 1. This long arm is vibrated from the arm 110, which is fast on the shaft 90, through the medium of the link 111. The movement of the ejector is such that in its operative stroke it is carried entirely through the drum, so as to force the cigarette clear of the shell in which it is held.

Supposing the various parts of the machine to be in the relative positions best shown in Fig. 1that is to say, with the upper shell 29 of the drum 15 moved forward so as to inclose the end of the cigarette rodthe first operation of the machine consists of the advance of the rotary knife, which severe the cigarette rod at a point between the arm 41 and the end of the projecting shell. The rotary knife then recedes and moves backward with the shell containing the cigarette until the ends of the shell are flush with the faces of the rotary drum. The drum now makes a one-sixteenth of a rotation, which brings another shell opposite to or in alinement with the cigarette rod to be filled, as described, and so on, each shell being filled in succession. The first shell at length is brought opposite to the packing-rods, and at this point the depressed surface 77 of its follower of the first shell comes in contact with the curved bar 75, which causes the follower to move inward and compress the cigarette. The ends of the packing-rods now advance toward each other and enter the shell, compressing the tobacco within the paper wrapper and then withdraw clear of the drum, so as not to interfere with its further rotation. The drum now rotates another one-sixteenth of a complete rotation, which brings the uncompleted, but still compressed, cigarette opposite to the first pair of tuckers, which at this time are drawn back so that their tucking-fingers are situated exteriorly of the circumference of the cigarettewrapper. W'hile'the drum is stationary in the position described, the said tnckers advance toward the cigarette and in their advance the tucking-fingers sweep to the center of the cigarette and carry with them a portion of the wrapper which projects beyond the packed tobacco rod and then pushes it inward or longitudinally of the cigarette. At the next partial rotation of the drum the cigarette, still compressed, passes to the second pair of tuckers, which operate in the same manner as the others, with the exception that the opposite side of the wrapper is tucked and forced inward, which completes the cigarette-making operation. Thedrum finally brings the completed cigarette, which has been released from compression by the follower of the shell containing it having passed the operative portion of the curved bar 75, opposite to or in alinement with the ejector 105, which is shot forward and pushes the cigarette from the shell to thechute.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a cigarette-machine, the combination of means to feed a paper-covered tobacco rod,

an intermittently-rotated drum having pockets with means to bring the said pockets successively into alinementwith the said tobacco rod, compressible shells situated in the said pockets with mechanism to project from the drum the shell which is in alinement with the tobacco rod so that it may receive the rod, a rotary knife to sever the portion of the rod contained in the shell, means to return the filled shell to the drum, devices to compress the filled shell, packing mechanism to longitudinally compress the tobacco in the shell, and tucking-in fingers to tuck in the paper wrapper onto the compressed tobacco rod, and

an ejector to force the completed cigarette from the drum, substantially as specified.

2. In a cigarette-machine,an intermittently &

rotated drum containing pockets which extend longitudinally of its axis, compressible shells situated in the said pockets and means to compress them combined with devices which successively pack in the ends of the portion of a tobacco rod contained in the shells and tuck in the ends of the wrapper which are exposed by the previous packing of the tobacco, substantially as specified.

3. In a cigarette-machine, the combination of an intermittently-rotated drum having pockets which extend in the direction of its axis, and compressible shells within the said pockets, with means to project them from the drum and then replace them in the drum, devices to effect the compression of the shells during a part of the rotation of the drum, means to pack the tobacco of a cigarette rod contained in a shell, and other means to tuck in the paper wrapper over the contained tobacco, substantially as specified.

4. In a cigarette-machine, the combination of an intermittently rotated drum having pockets which extend in the same direction as its axis, compressible shells with means to give them a reciprocating sliding movement in the said pockets, means to deliver a papercovered tobacco rod to the said shells, packing-rods with means to force their ends into the paper wrapper to compress the tobacco in the same, tucking-fingers with means to make them pass from beyond the circumference of the paper wrapper to the center of the tobacco rod and then force them inward, and mechanism to eject the completed cigarette from the drum substantially as specified.

5. In a cigarette-machine,an intermittentlyrotated drum having pockets therein which extend longitudinallyof its axis, compressible shells in the said pockets with means to compress them during part of the rotation of the drum, combined With means to feed a papercovered tobacco rod into the said shells, and mechanism to successively pack the tobacco in the compressed shells and tuck in the ends of the paper wrapper over the contained tobacco rod, substantially as specified.

CHARLES R. SPENCER.

Vitnesses:

WM. T. HOWARD, GEO. E. TAYLOR; 

